Learning Area(s): HSIE (Cultural Diversity) and English (Text types)
Unit Aim or Outcome:
To create a multimodal text on the topic of Ancient Egypt.
CUS2.4: Describes different viewpoints, ways of living, languages and belief systems in a variety of communities.
Lesson Outcomes:
WS2.9: Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well-structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features.
Resources:
- Envelope with cut up words/phrases related to Information Report writing - Titles of various text types on small pieces of paper - Resource number 2: Sample Information Report - Proforma for Information Reports.
Lesson Outline
Introduction: What is an Information Report? (10 Minutes)
1. Teacher introduces the text type of Information Reports to class, and asks students to make groups of 4 or five.
2. Each group will be handed an envelope with words/phrases cut up. (See Appendix 3.1). Students are to categorize the words/phrases into the four main headings (Social Purpose, Schematic Structure, Audience and Key grammatical features)
3. Once each group has finished categorized, students are then invited to walk around the classroom and observe other group’s categorizations.
Teaching strategy/LearningActivity:
Students will …… Part 1: Differentiating Information Reports from other Text Types (20 Minutes)
Teacher will… Part1:
1.Each student will be provided a title from different Text Types (See Appendix 3.2) and are asked to sit in a circle.
2. Students are then asked to sort their title into one of the circles drawn on the ground, with the headings “Information Report” and “Other Text Types”.
3. Students are invited to justify their selection. It is important to encourage a discussion of possible discrepancies of titles (i.e. “Cats and Dogs” could either be an Information Report, where students could be describing the two animals, or an Exposition, where students are asked to present their opinions about the two animals. Either way, students should justify their personal selection for choosing the headings to put the title under.
4. Students are shown a sample Information Report (Resource number 2) and discuss it by highlighting its text structures and language features.
Part 2: Jointly constructing an Information Report on the school (20 Minutes)
1. As a class, students come up with a minimum of five categories they could use to write about their school (e.g. History, Students, Staff, Playground, Values, Routines, and Policies/Rules etc.) These categories are then written up on proforma (See Appendix 3.3).
2. Students actively contribute facts about their schools and these are written up in dot points on the board. Students are then asked to categorize each fact/description under the correct headings in the proforma in proper sentences.
3. Student complete joint writing, as the teacher is constantly highlighting the language and grammar features of an Information Report.
1. Teacher draws two circles on the ground with chalk, with the headings “Information Report” on one circle and “Other Text Types” in the other.
Part 2: 1. It is critical that the teacher is constantly highlighting and reminding students of the features of an Information report throughout the joint construction.
Concluding strategy: Bringing it all together (10 Minutes)
1. Students are put into groups of 4 or 5, and asked to think about the various topics within the unit of Ancient Egypt. As a group, students are asked to proforma that they could use to write an Information report on their chosen aspect (e.g. Pharaohs).
(This part of the lesson leads onto the next lesson, where students are asked to jointly construct an Information Report on one chosen aspect of Ancient Egypt in their groups.)
Assessment:
- Were the students able to actively contribute to the Information Report on their school? - Were students using the correct language and grammatical features of an Information Report? - Were students able to understand the importance f drafting, revising proofreading, and publishing their Information Report through the class joint writing?
Any special considerations or contingency plans:
This activity covers a wide range of learning needs, and should be adaptable onto most classrooms despite any special needs or gifted students. For example, the sorting activity allows students to think about their justification in their own time and justify it according to their understandings. There is no specific time limit on most of these activities, allowing all children to be engaged and actively participating at their own speed.
Self-reflection - Did the students enjoy the lesson? - Were the students engaged throughout the lesson? - Do students understand the various features and elements of an Information Report? - Do students feel confident enough to construct an Information Report on various topics across the curriculum? - If I was to repeat the lesson, what would I keep the same? And what would I change?
To create a multimodal text on the topic of Ancient Egypt.
CUS2.4: Describes different viewpoints, ways of living, languages and belief systems in a variety of communities.
WS2.9: Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well-structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features.
- Envelope with cut up words/phrases related to Information Report writing
- Titles of various text types on small pieces of paper
- Resource number 2: Sample Information Report
- Proforma for Information Reports.
1. Teacher introduces the text type of Information Reports to class, and asks students to make groups of 4 or five.
2. Each group will be handed an envelope with words/phrases cut up. (See Appendix 3.1). Students are to categorize the words/phrases into the four main headings (Social Purpose, Schematic Structure, Audience and Key grammatical features)
3. Once each group has finished categorized, students are then invited to walk around the classroom and observe other group’s categorizations.
Part 1: Differentiating Information Reports from other Text Types (20 Minutes)
Part1:
2. Students are then asked to sort their title into one of the circles drawn on the ground, with the headings “Information Report” and “Other Text Types”.
3. Students are invited to justify their selection. It is important to encourage a discussion of possible discrepancies of titles (i.e. “Cats and Dogs” could either be an Information Report, where students could be describing the two animals, or an Exposition, where students are asked to present their opinions about the two animals. Either way, students should justify their personal selection for choosing the headings to put the title under.
4. Students are shown a sample Information Report (Resource number 2) and discuss it by highlighting its text structures and language features.
Part 2: Jointly constructing an Information Report on the school (20 Minutes)
1. As a class, students come up with a minimum of five categories they could use to write about their school (e.g. History, Students, Staff, Playground, Values, Routines, and Policies/Rules etc.) These categories are then written up on proforma (See Appendix 3.3).
2. Students actively contribute facts about their schools and these are written up in dot points on the board. Students are then asked to categorize each fact/description under the correct headings in the proforma in proper sentences.
3. Student complete joint writing, as the teacher is constantly highlighting the language and grammar features of an Information Report.
Part 2:
1. It is critical that the teacher is constantly highlighting and reminding students of the features of an Information report throughout the joint construction.
1. Students are put into groups of 4 or 5, and asked to think about the various topics within the unit of Ancient Egypt. As a group, students are asked to proforma that they could use to write an Information report on their chosen aspect (e.g. Pharaohs).
(This part of the lesson leads onto the next lesson, where students are asked to jointly construct an Information Report on one chosen aspect of Ancient Egypt in their groups.)
- Were the students able to actively contribute to the Information Report on their school?
- Were students using the correct language and grammatical features of an Information Report?
- Were students able to understand the importance f drafting, revising proofreading, and publishing their Information Report through the class joint writing?
This activity covers a wide range of learning needs, and should be adaptable onto most classrooms despite any special needs or gifted students. For example, the sorting activity allows students to think about their justification in their own time and justify it according to their understandings. There is no specific time limit on most of these activities, allowing all children to be engaged and actively participating at their own speed.
- Did the students enjoy the lesson?
- Were the students engaged throughout the lesson?
- Do students understand the various features and elements of an Information Report?
- Do students feel confident enough to construct an Information Report on various topics across the curriculum?
- If I was to repeat the lesson, what would I keep the same? And what would I change?